repair
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Public interest group tells medical equipment makers to release their repair manuals
Addressing concerns that the US lacks sufficient ventilators to effectively tackle the COVID-19 pandemic is, fundamentally, all about right to repair. That's the argument put forward by Nathan Proctor, head of the Right to Repair campaign at the US Public Interest Research Group. He says that a lack of devices can, and will, be exacerbated when hardware begins to break down with no easy options to fix them. In a statement, he calls for device manufacturers to release all repair documentation for essential medical kit.
Apple reportedly warns stores of iPhone replacement shortages
Apple's coronavirus-related iPhone supply shortage might cause problems if you total your handset in the near future. Apple store workers talking to Bloomberg say they've been warned that replacement iPhones will be in low supply for up to two to four weeks. Reps can reportedly mail out replacements and offer loaner iPhones in the meantime, but there's no guarantee you'll walk out of a Genius appointment with a brand new device in hand.
Samsung offers at-home Galaxy S20 trials to mitigate impact of coronavirus
As the spread of coronavirus continues to keep people in quarantine and threaten promotional tech events, companies in Asia gearing up for low sales -- but Samsung's new home visit service aims to mitigate some of this fall out. Reuters reports that the company is offering a smartphone delivery service to allow customers to test its new products without having to visit a physical store.
Apple is offering onsite repairs in some US cities
For the longest time, getting repairs for an Apple device as an everyday user has usually meant either visiting a store or mailing it in -- and both are pains if you either don't have the time or would rather not lug a heavy iMac or Mac Pro to the local mall. If you live in the right city, though, you might not have to. MacRumors has noticed that Apple is now offering onsite service in a handful of US cities, including Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New York City and San Francisco. As with many services like this, Apple appears to be using a contractor (Go Tech Services) and asks you to book an appointment that might include an "onsite visit fee" in addition to any costs for the repair itself.
Nintendo will stop repairing Wii consoles in March
Nintendo's Wii has had a phenomenal run since its 2006 launch, selling more than 101 million consoles across its seven-year lifespan. Now, years after it was supplanted by the Wii U and then the Switch, Nintendo is announcing that it'll no longer service damaged Wiis in Japan and will stop accepting new units on March 31st.
Apple's new Mac Pro is unsurprisingly easy to repair
It won't shock you to hear that Apple's new Mac Pro is easy to upgrade in many ways -- that's the whole point. But how easy it to service beyond the obvious parts? It's mostly easy, according to iFixit. The DIY repair outfit has torn down the Mac Pro, and it's now clear that many components beyond the memory and PCIe cards are trivial to remove and (if you can track down parts) replace, such as the fans. There are even instructions printed on the hardware for some repairs. This is a system designed for pros who may need rapid turnarounds for fixes, and it shows.
Apple says it's lost money on repairs over the last decade
The right to repair movement is mad as hell as companies work to prevent owners from doing basic repairs to their own devices. One of the biggest targets for the public's ire is Apple, which is accused of going out of its way to make user repairs as difficult as possible. That, coupled with the seemingly-increased failure rate of these devices has caused enough of a fuss that Congress is demanding answers.
iFixit tears down Samsung's 'improved' Galaxy Fold
iFixit pulled its first Galaxy Fold teardown after Samsung scrapped the phone's April launch to improve its durability. Now that the foldable has finally reached stores, though, it's ready for take two. The DIY repair site has posted a teardown for the revised Galaxy Fold that reveals both the known innards and, crucially, the additional protections for that folding screen.
Apple will 'verify' third-party iPhone repair stores
Apple has announced it will begin verifying third-party repair stores, widening the number of places that can fix your broken iPhone. The company has said that it'll offer third-parties the same "genuine parts, tools, training, repair manuals and diagnostics" as Apple Authorized Service Providers. On paper, it means that any verified and approved store will be able to offer battery and screen repair with Apple's blessing.
NASA backs demo that will 3D-print spacecraft parts in orbit
NASA is expanding its efforts to bring 3D printing to space. The agency has given Made In Space a $73.3 million contract to demonstrate the ability to 3D-print spacecraft parts in orbit using Archinaut One (shown above), a robotic manufacturing ship due to launch in 2022 or later. The vessel will fly aboard a Rocket Lab Electron rocket and 3D-print two 32-foot beams on each side, with each unfurling two solar arrays. The completed arrays could produce up to five times more power than the solar panels you normally find on spacecraft this size, NASA said.
Teardown shows Apple's latest effort to fix MacBook Pro keyboard
What did Apple mean when it said it changed materials to improve the keyboard on 2019 MacBook Pros? You should now have a better idea. iFixit has torn down the laptop to reveal at least a pair of changes to the butterfly mechanism that might affect reliability. To start, the switch cover now appears to be made from polyamide (aka nylon) instead of polyacetylene -- it's not certain just how this improves the situation, but it's a conspicuous change. There also seem to be changes to the metal dome switch, possibly involving either a new alloy or heat treatment. The added resilience could prevent the switches from breaking or deforming due to wear and tear, heat or other common culprits.
Apple offers free repairs for 2016 MacBook Pros with faulty backlights
Apple isn't just trying to fix the MacBook Pro's keyboard. The company has launched a repair program that offers free fixes for 2016 13-inch MacBook Pros affected by an issue with flex cable stress (aka "Flexgate") that produces a stage lighting effect on the display's backlight before it eventually dies altogether. You won't have to risk a costly out-of-warranty repair just to keep using your machine.
Google's repair center will finally take your Pixel 3
Until now, you've had to visit a uBreakiFix location to get your Pixel 3 fixed in an official capacity. That's helpful if you're nearby, but an absolute pain if your phone breaks and you'd rather not risk voiding the warranty. After today, you can relax -- Google has finally given Pixel 3 owners the option to send their devices to its mail-in repair center. While it could take up to 10 days to receive your phone, it beats having to turn to third parties.
Apple says T2 chip can limit third-party repairs for recent Macs
Yes, the reports were true -- Apple's T2 chip can potentially restrict third-party Mac repairs. The company confirmed to The Verge that the co-processor can limit third-party repairs for certain components on recent systems, likely including the iMac Pro and MacBook Air. Apple didn't provide a full list of affected parts or say which machines were covered, but the T2 could regulate repairs for the logic board (aka motherboard) and Touch ID fingerprint sensor.
Mac mini teardown uncovers all of the tiny desktop's updates
The long-overdue Mac mini update looks similar on the outside, but how much has it changed on the inside? Quite a bit -- though you'll be glad to hear some things have stayed the same. iFixit has torn down the diminutive desktop, and it's evident that Apple made only very strategic changes to the system's internals. It's still relatively easy to get inside the system by popping off the bottom and sliding out the entire motherboard. And when Apple said the memory was upgradable (unlike the 2014 model), it wasn't kidding. There's a shield to prevent interference, but it's easy to remove and install your own RAM sticks.
iPhone XR teardowns take a peek at its XL battery
Now that Apple's iPhone XR is officially available, the usual cast of characters are waiting to tear the device apart and see what's inside. The first teardown video came courtesy of the Germans over at kaputt.de, while iFixit is also busy with its own look inside that includes a few shots take via X-ray. Either way you look at it, the iPhone XR, once pulled apart, shows its status as a device straddling generations. It has hints of the iPhone X, with a rectangular logic board, but also an iPhone 8-style rectangular battery. Speaking of that cell, at 11.16Wh, it's larger than the iPhone XS (10.13), iPhone 8 Plus (10.28) and smaller than the iPhone XS Max (12.08). Since it's also driving a lower-res 6.1-inch LCD screen than the OLED-equipped XS phones, we'd expect the excellent battery life seen in our review to hold up. There weren't any surprises elsewhere -- as expected, breaking its glass back will mean replacing the entire chassis -- but you can see everything from the taptic engine to its single-lens camera below.
Motorola and iFixit sell official DIY phone repair kits
Many tech companies frown on unofficial repairs, but not Motorola -- in the right circumstances, it'll encourage you to fix devices yourself. The Lenovo brand has become the first major phone maker to provide parts to iFixit, which now sells official Motorola repair kits. If you need to replace your Moto Z Play's cracked screen or install a fresh battery in your Droid Turbo 2, you'll have all the parts and tools you need to do it at home.
Pixel 3 XL teardown reveals Google's switch to a Samsung display
When people noticed that the Pixel 3 XL's display was much better than its predecessor's, a common question emerged: did Google ditch LG for someone else? Yes, according to iFixit. The DIY repair house has torn down both the 3 XL and its smaller counterpart, and it's now clear that Google is using a Samsung-made AMOLED screen on at least the larger phone (we've asked iFixit about the regular Pixel 3). Google wasn't taking any chances on screen quality, in other words.
iFixit confirms you can still repair your own iMac Pro or MacBook Pro
Yesterday MacRumors and Motherboard reported on Apple service documents that indicated anyone replacing key parts on computers equipped with its custom T2 chip would require special diagnostic software to finish the job. While Apple has not commented on the leaks itself, the DIY repair folks at iFixit tested out the possibility by buying a brand-new 2018 MacBook Pro, pulling it apart and replacing the display. Shocker: it still worked, even without the software.
Apple ‘software lock’ prevents repairs on iMac Pro, 2018 MacBook Pros (updated)
In new Apple computers with its custom T2 chip (currently the iMac Pro and MacBook Pro 2018 models) it serves the purpose of "the System Management Controller, image signal processor, audio controller, and SSD controller." That means it can handle the system's secure boot system and on the fly encryption, as well as image processing for the FaceTime camera. While the enhanced security is nice, it has additional implications. According to MacRumors and shown on documents posted by Motherboard, anyone doing significant repair work on these systems will be left with a nonfunctioning system until they run the "Apple Service Toolkit 2" diagnostic software. For the MacBook Pro that includes "display assembly, logic board, top case (the keyboard, touchpad, and internal housing), and Touch ID board," and on the iMac Pro, it's the logic board or SSD.
